"Tom Nunn demonstrates Skatchboxes" via MAKE

Great sounds, I really like this.

"Tom Nunn demonstrates the "skatchbox" a simple percussion box outfitted with contacts mics and a plethora of objects for scraping, tapping, swiping, etc. The shuffling and raspy textures the boxes make are pretty unique, certainly warranting further investigation by audio experimentalists out there."



More about Tom Nunn,

"Tom Nunn has designed, built and performed with original musical instruments since 1976, having received a B.Mus. and M.A. in music composition from the University of Texas at Austin and S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook, and post-graduate work at U.C. San Diego. His instruments typically utilize commonly available materials, are sculptural in appearance, utilize contact microphones for amplification, and are designed specifically for improvisation with elements of ambiguity, unpredictability and nonlinearity.
In addition to the nearly 100 instruments he has made, Tom has performed extensively throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for over 25 years, as well as in other parts of the U.S., Canada and Europe, both as soloist and with other musicians. "

( Source, Photo by Tim Nunn, Tom Nunn Official)

- C

Handmade Electric Guitar Found A Good Home

It's a very nice feeling when you see someone playing something you've made. John had a big smile last night when he watched this video...



More about John's guitar can be found in our archives here.

Thanks for all Mister Theau!

- C

DIY / Home Made Ticino / Vico Morcote, Switzerland

Just posted on my mog some new adventures we had in Ticino, the Italian part of Switzerland, at the end of August. Again with the SGMK organised DIY events, we had a great time. Below some excerpts,

"Back in May, one of the organisers of the event told me about being nestled in the Italian-Swiss countryside - a DIY get together in summer, intimate and relaxed. Our busy estival plans happened to slow down at the right moment and here we were, undaunted by the new introductions needed to meet this group of 40+ diverse individuals who had worked hard to finally present their projects to local media and friends/family at the end of the week BBQ."

"We were so privileged to attend, even if only for two nights. We were welcomed by kindest of electronic enthusiasts, artists, friends, DIY orchestras, tupperware techno raving, terrifying microscopy specimens, arduino micro-controlled LED creations, a mega amp built with a modest microchip, ominous black scorpions used for visual display, late night playlist battles, tent camping in a storm..."





More here. Photos are all here.

- C

DIY Kinetic Sculptures / Theo Jansen "Strandbeest" / Zurich, Switzerland

I recently attended a presentation and demonstration from one of my favourite living artists, Theo Jansen. I was thrilled to see him in person and was impressed with his bare bones engineering, his thoughtful creation process and his use of everyday materials (pvc tubes, cable ties..) to create such beautiful, moving creatures.

Each Strandbeest follows an organic evolution, a natural process that makes Jansen's creatures come alive elegantly and poetically. They roam the beaches in Holland and the world now. We were treated to a live demonstration of the Animarus Umerus after two consecutive presentations, the spectators gasped with delight, applauding until the end.

The best part, he signed my latest issue of MAKE magazine.

MORE ABOUT THEO JANSEN & STRANDBEEST HERE.

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT HERE.

- C

DIY Music / Humanthesizer / Forget The Bikini's, This Is Cool!

Via CDM,

"Through the power of skin-safe conductive ink, Scottish electronic artist Calvin Harris has collaborated with a team to make a synthesizer out of himself and a group of models in bikinis."

"Johnson programmed the interface and music: two Arduinos provide the analog-to-digital connection between the ink-human circuitry and a computer. Patching environment Max/MSP then deals with the data and translates to MIDI, and musical materials are sequenced live and "performed" into Ableton Live."

Pretty cheesy with the ladies but I am sure it will help boost the youtube pageviews. Nonetheless, I really like the use of humans and body parts, fun interactivity to make music - alot of promise for artists & musicians alike. Something great for DIY festivals and surely, Burning Man or something.

More on the making-of here. More on Calvn Harris here.

- C

Poolloop Festival @ ROTE FABRIK, Zurich, Switzerland / Bit Tuner, Sonic Wargames & Musical Ping Pong

Just did a write up on the Poolloop festival that was held a little while back in Zurich.

"I was having a late dinner Friday evening. The location was a government subsidised, graffiti covered venue in greater Zurich. Called Rote Fabrik (Red Fabric), this alternative enclave was fitted with several function rooms, restaurant/bar and a lovely view of Lake Zurich.

It was early evening, I was feeling a little lonely, the night before became morning too soon and I was physically drained (a recovering sprained arm and a tense 10km late night bike ride). My usual social tendencies were fragile on this 2nd day, intimidated even. I thought about the nature of traveling alone, about making conversations with new people for need, for the feeling of being part of a whole; when in fact you were a stranger, strange to all around you. As I pondered the ups and down of attending a festival by myself (which I have done numerous times before) a smile arrived at my table. He was the physicist guy that caught my eye earlier among the late afternoon crowd already soldering despite hangovers and the humid summer heat. Hooded in bright green, he had meticulously twisted and turned the knobs of a DIY tupperware housed noisemaker."

"The setting was the SGMK (Mechatronicart Society) workshop table that I have come to know quite well this past year. As he continued to make beautiful noise, calculated and seemingly comprehensive, I sidled beside him and opened my bag. In hand I had my homemade ring modulator, my recently gifted Gakken SX-150, and some homemade cables made for all required uses. We discussed for some time before I wandered through the event organisation as they prepared for another long festival night to come. Alone, I navigated to the table of where I sat now, a view of the lake and the many groups of which I did not belong. So, here he was again prepared to join me, a welcome sight and wonderful company for the downtime one has in making friends in a foreign city. We ate spaghetti, the popular reasonably priced dish of the day, and walked together to the opening subversive film screening afterwards. It began with two gay pixels in love."

You can read the rest of the entry here on my mog blog.

PHOTOS CAN BE FOUND HERE.

POOLLOOP 09 OFFICIAL SITE.

- C

New Music / Clorinde / The Creative Listener (2009)

Some new music I'd like to share here on fotosis by Clorinde, the brothers Simone and Andrea Salvatici. Their sound is electro-acoustic with electronic textures. Here is the info from my other blog,

"Been holding onto this album for a couple of weeks anxious to get the word out. The multi-instrumental performers Simone and Andrea Salvatici have always been generous in providing me insight into their work and their personal trials in pursuing a passion that can be a heartbreaking process. Music making is inspired, often the battle for survival, a battle of time and constraint. What I found in The Creative Listener were 11 emotive and powerful hymms of triumph and truth.

You feel the frustration and the beauty that encapsulates a year's worth of work, the magic of fantasy and the melancholy of reality. It's instrumental folklore that evokes a gritty and sensational voyage. The result as a listener is exalting and pure. The challenge of being "The Creative Listener" is the seduction, you delve further into their universe and immerse yourself in the highs and lows of this two man orchestra; a bond that is something akin to soul searching, a journey we all need from time to time."

LISTEN / PURCHASE THE ALBUM HERE.

Here is one of their older works in audio/visual form,


- C

New Experimental Noise/Drone Track By Fotosis

We are trying to get back into the swing of things again in terms of this blog by buying one or two bits of musical equipment and engaging in some creative exploits, namely making some new tracks for our next album.

Last weekend we took it easy and stayed in both to take a rest and to play with our new Gakken analog synths. We started by messing around with some effects pedals and did a sort of late night improvisational wig out that resulted in this track which you can listen to below.

We are going to try to get a few more pieces down in the next few weeks and hopefully soon there will be something approaching a listenable album.



Till Laterz, J.